U.S. patent application number 11/561487 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-22 for flexible fuel tolerant catalytic converter diagnostic method.
Invention is credited to James R. Yurgil.
Application Number | 20080115486 11/561487 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39415561 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080115486 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yurgil; James R. |
May 22, 2008 |
FLEXIBLE FUEL TOLERANT CATALYTIC CONVERTER DIAGNOSTIC METHOD
Abstract
A monitoring system for a catalytic converter is provided. The
system includes: a fuel determination module that determines a fuel
composition based on a sensed composition of fuel in a fuel system;
a fuel/air (F/A) determination module that selectively determines a
stoichiometric F/A ratio based on the fuel composition; and an
oxygen storage capacity (OSC) diagnostic module that computes a
target OSC based on the stoichiometric F/A ratio, that compares the
target OSC to a reference value and diagnosis the catalytic
converter based on the comparison.
Inventors: |
Yurgil; James R.; (Livonia,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION;LEGAL STAFF
MAIL CODE 482-C23-B21, P O BOX 300
DETROIT
MI
48265-3000
US
|
Family ID: |
39415561 |
Appl. No.: |
11/561487 |
Filed: |
November 20, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/277 ; 60/285;
701/103 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01N 11/007 20130101;
F02D 19/0623 20130101; F02D 2200/0611 20130101; F02D 41/0295
20130101; F02D 41/0025 20130101; F01N 2560/025 20130101; Y02T 10/40
20130101; Y02T 10/47 20130101; Y02T 10/36 20130101; F01N 2550/02
20130101; F02D 19/084 20130101; Y02T 10/30 20130101; F02D 19/087
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
60/277 ; 701/103;
60/285 |
International
Class: |
G01M 15/10 20060101
G01M015/10; B60T 7/12 20060101 B60T007/12; F01N 3/00 20060101
F01N003/00; G05D 1/00 20060101 G05D001/00; F01N 7/00 20060101
F01N007/00 |
Claims
1. A monitoring system for a catalytic converter, comprising: a
fuel determination module that determines a fuel composition based
on fuel in a fuel system; a fuel/air (F/A) determination module
that selectively determines a stoichioemetric F/A ratio based on
the fuel composition; and an oxygen storage capacity (OSC)
diagnostic module that computes a target OSC based on the
stoichiometric F/A ratio, that compares the target OSC to a
reference value, and diagnosis the catalytic converter based on the
comparison.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an enable module that
detects a refuel event and wherein the fuel determination module
determines the fuel composition after a refuel event occurs.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the enable module detects the
refuel event based on a current and a previous fuel level.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the F/A ratio module sets the
stoichiometric F/A ratio to a predetermined value when the fuel
composition is a single specified hydrocarbon fuel.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the F/A ratio module computes the
stoichiometric F/A ratio when the fuel composition is composed of a
blend of more than one hydrocarbon fuel.
6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a fuel sensor that
generates a signal indicating a composition of fuel in the fuel
system.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the OSC diagnostic module
initiates a rich condition based on the stoichiometric F/A ratio
after a fuel cut-off period, computes a mass of oxygen released by
the catalytic converter, and computes the target OSC over a target
time period based on the mass of oxygen.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the OSC diagnostic module
determines the target time period based on an inlet delay time to
detect a first F/A ratio and an outlet delay time to detect the
first F/A ratio.
9. The system of claim 8 further comprising an inlet sensor that
generates an inlet sensor signal indicating a first oxygen level of
exhaust gases entering the catalytic converter and wherein the
inlet delay time is determined based on the inlet sensor
signal.
10. The system of claim 8 further comprising an outlet sensor that
generates an outlet sensor signal indicating a second oxygen level
of exhaust gases exiting the catalytic converter and wherein the
outlet delay time is determined based on the outlet sensor
signal.
11. A method of diagnosing a catalytic converter, comprising:
selectively determining a stoichiometric fuel/air ratio based on a
fuel composition; computing a target oxygen storage capacity (OSC)
of the catalytic converter based on the stoichiometric fuel/air
ratio; and diagnosing the catalytic converter based on the oxygen
storage capacity.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: receiving a fuel
sensor signal indicating a composition of fuel in a fuel system;
and determining a fuel composition based on the fuel sensor
signal.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving a fuel
event signal indicating an occurrence of a refuel event and wherein
the determining a fuel composition occurs after a refuel event.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the selectively determining
further comprises determining the stoichiometric F/A ratio to be a
predetermined value when the fuel composition indicates a single
specified hydrocarbon fuel.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein the selectively determining
further comprises computing a stoichiometric F/A ratio when the
fuel composition indicates a blend of more than one hydrocarbon
fuel.
16. The method of claim 11 further comprising: saturating the
catalytic converter with oxygen during a fuel cut-off period;
operating an engine in a rich condition based on the stoichiometric
F/A ratio after the fuel cut-off period; computing a mass of oxygen
released by the catalytic converter based on mass air flow into the
engine; and wherein the computing the target OSC is further based
on the mass of oxygen released over a target time period.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the computing further comprises:
determining a first delay time for an inlet oxygen sensor to detect
a first F/A ratio; determining a second delay time for an outlet
oxygen sensor to detect the first F/A ratio; and computing the
target time period based on the first and the second delay
times.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising: determining a
transport lag time required for a mass of air to flow through an
inert catalytic converter; and calculating the target time period
based on the transport lag time.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein the diagnosing comprises
diagnosing the catalytic converter based on a comparison of the
target OSC and a reference value.
20. The method of claim 11 further comprising setting a malfunction
code based on the diagnosing of the catalytic converter.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to diagnostic systems for
vehicles, and more particularly to methods and systems for
monitoring catalytic converter efficiency.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The statements in this section merely provide background
information related to the present disclosure and may not
constitute prior art.
[0003] Ethanol, also know as ethyl alcohol, is a flammable,
colorless chemical compound that can be mixed with gasoline to fuel
an internal combustion engine. Flexible fuel vehicles include
adaptations that allow the vehicle to run on various blends of
gasoline and ethanol. For example, E85 fuel contains a mixture of
85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. A virtual flex fuel sensor and method
detects the concentration of ethanol in the fuel. Based on the
concentration level, the air/fuel ratio is adjusted and the engine
operation is controlled accordingly.
[0004] During the combustion process, gasoline and ethanol are
oxidized and hydrogen (H) and carbon (C) combine with air. Various
chemical compounds are formed and released in an exhaust stream
including carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2), water (H.sub.2O), carbon
monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x), unburned hydrocarbons
(HC), sulfur oxides (SO.sub.x), and other compounds. However, the
use of ethanol in the fuel reduces the amount of carbon dioxide
(CO) and nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) in the exhaust.
[0005] Automobile exhaust systems include a catalytic converter
that further reduces the levels of CO, HC, and NOx in the exhaust
gas by chemically converting these gasses into carbon dioxide,
nitrogen, and water. Diagnostic regulations require periodic
monitoring of the catalytic converter for proper conversion
capability. Typical monitoring methods employ two exhaust gas
oxygen sensors and infer the conversion capability of the catalytic
converter using the sensor signals. One sensor monitors the oxygen
level associated with an inlet exhaust stream of the catalytic
converter. This inlet O.sub.2 sensor is also the primary feedback
mechanism that maintains the fuel-to-air (F/A) ratio of the engine
at the chemically correct, or stoichiometric F/A ratio needed to
support the catalytic conversion processes. A second or outlet
O.sub.2 sensor monitors the oxygen level concentration of the
exhaust stream exiting the catalytic converter. Excess O.sub.2
concentration in the exiting exhaust stream induces a "lean" sensor
signal. A deficit or absence of O.sub.2 in the exiting exhaust
stream induces a "rich" sensor signal.
[0006] Traditional catalytic converter monitoring methods relate
the empirical relationships that exist between the inlet and outlet
O.sub.2 sensor to quantify catalyst conversion capability. These
methods compare sensor amplitude, response time, response rate,
and/or frequency content data. All of these measurements are
affected by a property of a catalytic converter known as Oxygen
Storage Capacity (OSC). OSC refers to the ability of a catalytic
converter to store excess oxygen under lean conditions and to
release oxygen under rich conditions. The amount of oxygen storage
and release decreases as the conversion capability of the catalytic
converter is reduced. Therefore, the loss in OSC is related to the
loss in conversion capability.
[0007] Methods and systems for monitoring a catalytic converter
based on the OSC are described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No.
6,874,313. The methods and systems relate to various types of
hydrocarbon fuels. As implemented, the methods and systems may not
properly diagnose a catalytic converter for engine systems running
alternative fuels such as E85 or diesel.
SUMMARY
[0008] Accordingly, a monitoring system for a catalytic converter
is provided. The system includes: a fuel determination module that
determines a fuel type based on a composition of fuel in a fuel
system; a fuel/air (F/A) determination module that selectively
determines a stoichiometric F/A ratio based on the fuel type; and
an oxygen storage capacity (OSC) diagnostic module that computes a
target OSC based on the stoichiometric F/A ratio, that compares the
target OSC to a reference value and diagnosis the catalytic
converter based on the comparison.
[0009] In other features, a method of diagnosing a catalytic
converter is provided. The method includes: selectively determining
a stoichiometric fuel/air ratio based on a fuel type; computing a
target oxygen storage capacity (OSC) of the catalytic converter
based on the stoichiometric fuel/air ratio; and diagnosing the
catalytic converter based on the oxygen storage capacity.
[0010] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the
description provided herein. It should be understood that the
description and specific examples are intended for purposes of
illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the
present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes
only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure in any way.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle including
a control module that performs a flexible fuel tolerant catalytic
converter diagnostic method according to the present
disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a dataflow diagram illustrating a flexible fuel
tolerant catalytic converter diagnostic system.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flexible fuel tolerant
catalytic converter diagnostic method.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating a simplified chemical
combustion model for fuel.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating inlet and outlet O.sub.2
sensor responses during a data collection period.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating an oxygen storage capacity
(OSC) calculation.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an oxygen storage
capacity (OSC) diagnostic method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and
is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or
uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings,
corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding
parts and features. As used herein, the term module refers to an
application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic
circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that
executes one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational
logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the
described functionality.
[0020] Referring now to FIG. 1, a vehicle 10 includes an engine 12,
an exhaust system 14, and a control module 16. The engine 12
includes an intake manifold 17, a throttle position sensor (TPS)
18, and a mass air flow (MAF) sensor 20. The throttle position
sensor 18 and the MAF sensor 20 communicate with the control module
16. The exhaust system 14 includes a catalytic converter 22, a
pre-catalyst or inlet oxygen sensor 24, and a post-catalyst or
outlet oxygen sensor 26. The inlet and outlet oxygen sensors 24, 26
communicate with the control module 16 to provide inlet and outlet
F/A ratio signals, respectfully. The control module 16 communicates
with a fuel system 28 to regulate fuel flow to the engine 12. The
fuel system includes a flex fuel sensor 29. The flex fuel sensor 29
generates a fuel signal to the control module 16 indicating a
composition of the fuel in the fuel system 28. Alternatively, the
vehicle may employ a virtual flex fuel sensor method in the control
module 16 that utilizes a learned shift in fuel trim calculated
from the inlet oxygen sensor 24 to estimate the fuel composition.
In this manner, the control module 16 determines or estimates the
stoichiometric F/A ratio of the engine 12. In addition, the control
module 16 diagnoses the catalytic converter 22 of the exhaust
system 14 based on a flexible fuel tolerant catalytic converter
diagnostic method described herein.
[0021] Referring now to FIG. 2, a dataflow diagram illustrates
various embodiments of a flexible fuel tolerant catalytic converter
diagnostic system that may be embedded within the control module
16. Various embodiments of catalytic converter diagnostic systems
according to the present disclosure may include any number of
sub-modules embedded within the control module 16. The sub-modules
shown may be combined and/or further partitioned to similarly
monitor a catalytic converter 22. Inputs to the system may be
received from sensors within the vehicle 10, received from other
control modules (not shown) within the vehicle 10, and/or
determined by other sub-modules (not shown) within the control
module 16. In various embodiments, the control module 16 of FIG. 2
includes an enable module 40, a fuel determination module 42, a
fuel/air (F/A) ratio module 44, and an oxygen storage capacity
(OSC) diagnostic module 46.
[0022] The enable module 40 receives as input a fuel event signal
48. The fuel event signal 48 indicates a status of the remaining
fuel in the fuel system 28 (FIG. 1). The enable module 40
determines when a refuel event has occurred based on the fuel event
signal 48 and sets a refuel event flag 50 accordingly. In various
embodiments, the fuel event signal 48 indicates a current fuel
level of the fuel system 28 (FIG. 1). The enable module 40 compares
the current fuel level to a previous fuel level to determine when a
refuel event occurs. It is appreciated, that other methods may be
used to detect a refuel event. The fuel determination module 42
receives as input the refuel event flag 50 and a fuel sensor signal
52 indicating a composition of the fuel in the fuel system 28 (FIG.
1). The fuel determination module 42 determines a fuel composition
54 of the fuel in the fuel system 28 (FIG. 1) after a refuel event
has occurred and based on the fuel sensor signal 52. In various
embodiments, the fuel determination module 42 estimates a
composition of fuel based on engine operating parameters (i.e.,
fuel trim shift values) and determines the fuel composition 54
based on the estimated composition. These methods eliminate the
need for the fuel sensor signal 52.
[0023] The F/A ratio module 44 receives as input the fuel
composition 54. Based on the fuel composition 54, the F/A ratio
module 44 determines the ideal stoichiometric F/A ratio 56. The OSC
diagnostic module 46 receives as input the stoichiometric F/A ratio
56, mass airflow (MAF) 58, throttle position (TPS) 60, inlet
O.sub.2 sensor signal 62 and the outlet O.sub.2 sensor signal 64.
Based on the received signals, the OSC diagnostic module 46
determines an oxygen storage capacity for the catalytic converter
22 (FIG. 1) and diagnosis the catalytic converter 22 (FIG. 1) based
on a comparison of the determined OSC and a reference value. Based
on the diagnosis, the OSC diagnostic module 46 sets a failure code
66. Wherein the failure code 66 is set to TRUE or "test fail" if a
malfunction is diagnosed.
[0024] Referring now to FIG. 3, a flowchart illustrates a flexible
fuel tolerant catalytic converter diagnostic method performed by
the control module 16. The method may be run periodically during
engine operation. Control evaluates whether a refuel event has
occurred at 90. If a refuel event has occurred, the diagnosis is
delayed until an accurate determination of the fuel composition is
made at 92. Otherwise control proceeds to evaluate the current fuel
composition at 94. If the fuel composition is of a typical fixed
hydrocarbon mixture at 94, the stoichiometric F/A ratio is set
based on a predetermined value at 96. If the fuel composition is of
an alternative fuel mixture of more than one typical hydrocarbon,
such as E85 (85% ethyl alcohol blended with 15% gasoline), the
stoichiometric F/A ratio is computed based on the composition of
the fuel mixture at 98. After setting the F/A ratio, control
proceeds to perform the OSC diagnostic at 99.
[0025] More particularly, the details of the OSC diagnostic module
46 of FIG. 2 and the process step 99 of FIG. 3 will be discussed in
the context of FIGS. 4-7. Referring to FIG. 4, a simplified
chemical combustion model for hydrocarbon and alternative fuels
will be described in detail. The combustion model is based on an
equivalence ratio (F.sub.R) that is defined as the actual F/A ratio
(F/A.sub.ACT) divided by the determined stoichiometric F/A ratio
(F/A.sub.STOICH). During periods of O.sub.2 release (i.e. rich
engine operation), the chemical combustion model is provided
as:
( 1 - u ) C X H Y + ( u ) C v H ( 2 v + 1 ) OH + ( 1 / F R ) ( a )
O 2 .fwdarw. [ - 2 ( 1 - 1 / F R ) ( a ) + ( 1 - u ) x + ( u - v )
] CO 2 + [ 2 ( 1 - 1 / F R ) ( a ) ] CO + [ ( y / 2 ) ( 1 - u ) + (
u ) ( v + 1 ) ] H 2 O . ##EQU00001##
During periods of O.sub.2 storage, the chemical combustion model is
provided as:
( 1 - u ) C X H Y + ( u ) C v H ( 2 v + 1 ) OH + ( 1 / F R ) ( a )
O 2 .fwdarw. [ ( 1 - u ) x + ( u - v ) ] CO 2 + [ ( 1 / F R - 1 ) (
a ) ] O 2 + [ ( y / 2 ) ( 1 - u ) + ( u ) ( v + 1 ) ] H 2 O .
##EQU00002##
Where a, u, v, x are coefficients. The coefficient a represents a
simplification constant determined from the following equation:
a=(1-u)(x+y/4)+(3/2)(uv).
The coefficient u represents the ratio of the alcohol in the fuel
mixture of the total fuel mixture. The coefficient v represents the
number of carbon atoms in a molecule of the alcohol fuel. The
coefficient x represents the number of carbon atoms in a molecule
of the non-alcohol hydrocarbon fuel. The coefficient y represents
the hydrogen atoms in a molecule of the non-alcohol hydrocarbon
fuel.
[0026] Periods of O.sub.2 release require the catalyst to release
1/2 Mole of O.sub.2 for each Mole of excess CO in the exhaust to
completely convert the CO. Periods of O.sub.2 storage require the
catalyst to store one mole of O.sub.2 for each mole of excess
O.sub.2 in the exhaust. The ratio of O.sub.2 released by the
catalyst to the mass of inlet O.sub.2 in the F/A charge mixture is
given as:
[2(1-1/F.sub.R)(a)]/[2(1/F.sub.R)(a)]=F.sub.R-1
A positive term indicates O.sub.2 release and a negative term
indicates O.sub.2 storage.
[0027] As seen in the graph of FIG. 4, when F.sub.R is greater than
1 (i.e. rich engine operation), stored O.sub.2 within the catalytic
converter 22 is released. When F.sub.R is less than 1 (i.e. lean
engine operation), excess O.sub.2 is stored. The rate of O.sub.2
released to the mass air rate associated with the F/A mixture is
provided as:
(M.sub.O2/M.sub.AIR)(F.sub.R-1); O.sub.2 grams per sec/Air grams
per sec
M.sub.O2 is the mass of O.sub.2 in a mole of air. M.sub.AIR is the
average molar mass of air. The molar ratio of O.sub.2 to that of
air is assumed to be a constant.
[0028] The OSC diagnostic is executed during a fuel cut-off mode of
the engine 12. The fuel cut-off mode occurs during a vehicle
overrun condition, such as when the vehicle 10 is coasting
downhill. The fuel cutoff mode can be determined from the throttle
position 60 and intake manifold pressure. While in the fuel cut-off
mode, the F/A ratio of the exhaust stream from the engine 12 is
equal to zero. The OSC diagnostic is initiated after the engine 12
has operated in the fuel cut-off mode for a predetermined period of
time and is signaled to return to normal operation (or non fuel
cut-off mode). More specifically, the predetermined time period is
calibrated to completely saturate the catalytic converter 22 with
oxygen.
[0029] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, time t=0 indicates the
beginning of the OSC diagnostic. Initially, F.sub.R is commanded to
a fixed percentage rich. Commanding the equivalence ratio a fixed
percentage rich results in F/A.sub.ACT being greater than
F/A.sub.STOICH. As the engine 12 operates rich, the inlet oxygen
sensor 24 detects the transition to rich and correspondingly
signals the control module 16. The delay time required for the
inlet oxygen sensor 24 to achieve a reference signal is indicated
as t.sub.inlet delay. The reference signal indicates when the
exhaust from the engine 12 achieves F/A.sub.STOICH. The outlet
oxygen sensor 26 detects the transition to rich and correspondingly
signals the control module 16. The outlet oxygen sensor signal 64
is delayed relative to the inlet oxygen sensor signal 62. The
transition time required for the outlet oxygen sensor 26 to achieve
the reference signal is indicated as t.sub.outlet delay. The lag
time required for a predetermined amount of air (such as
approximately 1.5 g) to flow through an inert catalytic converter
22 (FIG. 1) is indicated as t.sub.lag.
[0030] The OSC diagnostic module 46 (FIG. 2) determines a target
time over which a target OSC of the catalytic converter 22 (FIG. 1)
is calculated. The target time, indicated as t.sub.target, is based
on t.sub.inlet delay, t.sub.outlet delay, and t.sub.lag. More
specifically, the OSC diagnostic module 46 monitors the inlet and
outlet sensor signals 62, 64 to determine t.sub.inlet delay and
t.sub.outlet delay. The OSC diagnostic module 46 estimates
t.sub.lag as the interval of time required to pass a fixed mass of
air between the oxygen sensors as:
t.sub.lag=K air_mass_grams/MAF(t.sub.end-of-test)
This process assumes that exhaust flow conditions toward the
end-of-test are known. Referring to FIG. 4, the end-of-test time
can be estimated as:
t.sub.end-of-test=t.sub.outlet delay-t.sub.inlet delay
This instant in time will vary with the OSC of the catalyst and
cannot be determined until after the test conditions have passed.
Also, the mass flow rate of air is transient in nature during the
diagnostic and cannot be assumed to be constant. For these reasons,
MAF 58 is averaged over fixed duration subintervals of the
transition period and stored. The estimated lag period is then
calculated by a backwards integration of the stored MAF 58 terms
beginning at t=t.sub.end-of-test and ending when the summation
equals K air_mass_grams. By definition, this occurs at
t=t.sub.end-of-test-t.sub.lag. The target time is provided as:
t.sub.target=t.sub.outlet delay-t.sub.inlet delay-t.sub.lag
The target time is the time period immediately after F/A becoming
greater than the stoichiometric F/A 56.
[0031] In addition to monitoring the above-described times, the OSC
diagnostic module 46 stores subinterval averages of the mass air
flow (MAF) into the engine 12 and an F.sub.R compensated MAF term
(see FIG. 6). The subinterval is defined as an integer multiple of
the data sample rate associated with the MAF and F.sub.R terms.
This method does not preclude having the subinterval equal the
sample rate and subinterval average based on a single value.
However, a more efficient use of control module memory can be
obtained without significantly affecting the accuracy of the OSC
calculation by specifying a larger subinterval. The MAF 58 is
provided as a signal to the control module 16 from the MAF sensor
20. The incremental OSC, derived from the simplified O2 release
model, is represented by the following relationship:
.differential.OSC=.alpha.[MAF(t).times..beta.][F.sub.R(t)-1].differentia-
l.t
where the incremental OSC is measured in terms of grams of stored
oxygen per unit time, .alpha. is the mass of oxygen in a mole of
air divided by the mass of a mole of air, and .beta. is the mass
air flow fraction per catalytic converter. Preferably, for an
exhaust system having a single catalytic converter 22 as shown in
FIG. 1, .beta. is equal to 1. For an exhaust system having a
catalytic converter for each N/2 cylinders, .beta. is equal to 0.5.
The OSC at t.sub.target is represented by the numerical
integration, or summation, of the incremental OSC over the target
period:
OSC=.alpha..times..beta..times.T.times..SIGMA.[MAF(nT)][F.sub.R(nT)-1],
n=0 to t.sub.target/T
where T represents the sampled data period, MAF(nT) represents the
MAF at time nT, and F.sub.R(nT) represents the fuel equivalence
ratio at time nT. A preferred equivalent form of this relationship
is represented by:
OSC={.SIGMA.[MAF(nT).times.F.sub.R(nT)]-.SIGMA.[MAF(nT)]}.times.(.alpha.-
.times..beta..times.T), n=0 to t.sub.target/T
This form is less prone to numerical accumulation of small
round-off errors.
[0032] Once the outlet oxygen sensor 26 achieves the reference
signal (i.e. detects F/A.sub.STOICH of the exhaust gases from the
catalytic converter), the OSC diagnostic module 46 determines the
target OSC. Referring again to FIG. 6, to determine the target OSC,
the OSC diagnostic module 46 calculates the OSC according to the
prefered OSC relationship stated previously. The OSC diagnostic
module 46 integrates both the stored F.sub.R compensated MAF and
stored MAF measurements over the target time. This corresponds to
the area under each of their respective curves. The difference
between these areas, graphically represented by the area between
the two curves, is then multiplied by the constant term,
.alpha..times..beta..times.T to obtain the OSC over the target
period. The constant term acts as a scalar that optionally could be
omitted if an unscaled result was desirable. The calculated OSC is
compared to a reference OSC value to determine if the catalytic
converter 22 passes or fails.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 7, a flowchart illustrates an OSC
diagnostic method performed by the OSC diagnostic module 46 of FIG.
2 and shown in process step 99 of FIG. 3. Control determines
whether a fuel cut-off mode is present at 100. If a fuel cut-off
mode is not present, control loops back. Otherwise, control checks
particular conditions at 102, 104, and 106 prior to initiating
monitoring. At 102, control determines whether the engine 12 has
been operating under closed loop fuel control (CLFC) for a
sufficient time. If not, control loops back to monitor for a fuel
cut-off mode at 100. If the engine 12 has been operating under CLFC
for a sufficient time, control determines whether the catalytic
converter 22 has achieved an operating temperature at 104. If the
temperature has not been achieved at 104, control loops back to
100. If the temperature has been achieved, control continues at
106. At 106, control determines whether the catalytic converter 22
has been exposed to air flow for a time sufficient to achieve
oxygen saturation. If the catalytic converter 22 has not been
sufficiently exposed, control loops back to 100. If the catalytic
converter 22 has been sufficiently exposed, control initiates the
OSC diagnostic upon the engine 12 exiting the fuel cut-off mode at
108.
[0034] Upon exiting the fuel cut-off mode, control commands F.sub.R
to a fixed percentage rich at 110. At 112, control continually
records subinterval measurements of the MAF and F.sub.R compensated
MAF using the MAF sensor 20 as explained above. At 114, control
tracks the signals of the inlet and outlet oxygen sensors 24, 26.
At 116, control determines whether the outlet oxygen sensor 26 has
achieved the reference signal. If the outlet oxygen sensor 26 has
achieved the reference signal, control continues at 118. If not,
control loops back to 112. At 118, control determines t.sub.outlet
delay, t.sub.inlet delay, t.sub.lag, and t.sub.target therefrom. At
124, control integrates the stored OSC related quantities over the
target time and obtains the target OSC value using the preferred
difference equation provided above. At 126, control evaluates the
target OSC value. If the target OSC is not above a reference value,
test failure is indicated at 128. If the target OSC is above the
reference value, test pass is indicated at 122.
[0035] Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the
foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present
disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore,
while this disclosure has been described in connection with
particular examples thereof, the true scope of the disclosure
should not be so limited since other modifications will become
apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings,
specification, and the following claims.
* * * * *